The General Port Administration (AGP) issued the pre-award ruling for Public Tender No. 23/2025, tipping the balance in favor of Jan De Nul. According to the agency, the company’s proposal was not only the most financially advantageous, but also exceeded the technical standards required in the tender specifications for work in a critical area of the port system.

Technical Details of the Project

The project’s main objective is the “Adaptation Dredging of the Access Channel and North Outer Harbor,” a vital task to ensure that deep-draft vessels can operate efficiently and safely.

• Dredging volume: 550,000 cubic meters of sediment will be removed.
• Critical areas: The work covers the access channel, maneuvering zones, and operational sectors of the North Outer Harbor.
• Execution timeline: The project must be completed within 140 consecutive days.
• Impact: The work will ensure adequate navigation conditions and substantially improve maritime access logistics.

The Numbers Battle

The aspect that generated the most surprise within the port sector was the competitiveness of the winning bid. Jan De Nul submitted an offer of USD 4,955,307.43, which was 35.14% below the Official Budget estimated by the government.

Compared with the other bidders, the gap was decisive:

• Jan De Nul: USD 4,955,307.43
• Dredging International (DEME): USD 6,718,702 (27% more expensive than the winning bid)
• Dragados Argentinos SA (DASA): USD 6,943,836.28

Strategic Vision

The company stated that this pre-award decision strengthens its presence in Argentina and reinforces its commitment to modernizing local infrastructure.

“The efficiency of maritime and river access routes is becoming increasingly decisive for the competitiveness of exports,” company representatives said, emphasizing that these highly complex projects provide the engineering solutions needed to meet the demands of global logistics corridors.